introductory
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See preliminary.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of introductory
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin intrōductōrius, equivalent to Latin intrōduc-, variant stem of intrōdūcere ( see introduce) + -tōrius -tory 1
Explanation
Something introductory prefaces or explains what comes after it. An introductory paragraph at the start of your essay will sum up the ideas you plan to discuss. Introductory remarks before a speech will give some basic information about the speaker or her topic, and an introductory scene in a movie sets up the characters, time period, or setting so the story makes sense. This 17th century adjective is from the Latin word introductorius, from introducere, "to lead in," with its roots intro-, "inward," and ducere, "to lead."
Vocabulary lists containing introductory
Lessons 1–2
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Writing - High School
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Purpose
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Pay attention to the renewal rate, which is often much higher than the introductory rate.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026
Most of the “rising leaders” at the Austin retreat have already attended an introductory R360 retreat, where those topics were the main course.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026
Affordability was a major theme in the debate, which included an introductory video of a single mother struggling to fill her gas tank and buy groceries.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
The team also marked the beginning of testing with a symbolic moment by sending an email titled "Hello Universe," referencing the famous introductory messages used during the early days of computer programming.
From Science Daily • May 15, 2026
In the spring semester he takes an introductory class in architecture.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
